Are solar chargers the perfect answer for power-hungry smartphones?

Wi-fi and mobile communications are the number-one must-have for today’s world traveller, never more so than when going ‘off the grid’ in a strange land.

But as we all know, smartphones with email and web-surfing capabilities need a lot of battery power. And what happens when that power runs out? No bars, a flat battery—and panic stations!

Step in portable solar chargers. And what could be more appropriate for Sri Lanka, with all that lovely sunshine day after day?

Helpfully, Outdoor Gear Lab have provided a comprehensive guide to the best solar chargers available, with just about every tech and usability questions answered.

They report: “What is the best solar charger for your phone, tablet, and other small electronics when off the grid? To find out, we took ten contenders and put them in head-to-head tests while on trips all around the country.

“From mountaineering on Denali to sailing off the California coast, we compared them using the following categories: output power, ease of use, weight, versatility, and portability. In the end, we found big differences in the panels we tested.

“Some worked well for all of our needs and some barely charged anything. Read on to find out which is the best solar charger for your application.” Read more here.